


No Doze Cafe (Haikyuu Coffee Shop AU)

by Kites-Friend (VivaAlisa)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Angst, Choose Your Own Adventure, Choose Your Own Character, Coffee Shops, F/M, First Date, First Meetings, Fluff, Haikyuu smut, One Shot Collection, Timeskip, haikyuu fluff, reader gets all the men, some spoilers maybe, will update with more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:54:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27156895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VivaAlisa/pseuds/Kites-Friend
Summary: You work at the No Doze Cafe. Truly, it's the best job in the world. Little do you know that you will meet so many men that slowly fall in love with you. You'll be able to pick the characters you want and follow along in the story. Like a choose your own adventure. Pick your favorite.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Reader, Hinata Shouyou/Reader, Kageyama Tobio/Reader, Miya Atsumu/Reader, Miya Osamu/Reader, Oikawa Tooru/Reader, Sugawara Koushi/Reader, Tsukishima Kei/Reader
Comments: 26
Kudos: 82





	1. Shooting Your Shot (Oikawa/Reader Pt.1)

“Sorry boss, I didn’t mean to be late,” I called while walking into the coffee shop. A little bell dinged as I scurried through the doorway. I grab the white apron that hangs on a hook to the left of the door. In one motion, I put on the small apron and tie it in the back. I flipped up the bar style door for the back of the shop. 

Carrie shook her head as she brewed some espresso shots for one of the angry customers in the morning. “I’ve had to do the register and make drinks. You’ll owe me one later.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I scoffed before going to pull my hair back and wash my hair. “I wasn’t expecting this many people to be here for the volleyball game. I didn’t even think volleyball was that big of a sport.”

It was Carrie’s turn to scoff as she called a random person’s name with their finished drink. I turn my attention to the ever growing line of caffeine deprived monsters. “Hello, welcome to the No Doze Cafe. What may I get for you?”

“A tall black coffee,” replies the person. I repeat his order back before asking for his payment. He seemed increasingly grumpy with my positivity. 

“Thank you so much, sir. Your coffee will be down at the end of the bar Mr. Tsukishima,” I smile. He rolls his eyes before following my instructions. I chalked the interaction up at decaffeinated anger. 

A few more customers went through my line before the bell rang. I turn my head to see the angry man from before greeting two guys in volleyball jerseys. A few of the guests stopped to turn the same. One of them was a taller than average guy with brown fluffy hair. His eyes caught mine before turning back to the angry blonde. The other guy was an energetic spazz who seemed too infatuated with the rest of the shop. 

I turned my attention back towards the line of customers as I tried to overhear anything the trio would say. All I wanted was to hear a name or some other defining feature of the brown-haired man from earlier. His smile was intoxicating. “I’d like an iced latte please,” said the customer a little louder than before. I turn my attention before apologizing and finishing taking the order. 

“Thank you for stopping at-,” I started before overhearing a few girls come up to the group of boys. A hint of jealousy crossed my face before finishing my phrase. 

“Hey boys,” called Carrie. “Are you going to order or could you not loiter at the door. We have some paying customers wanting to get inside.” As much as I loved my boss, she could be abrasive and too assertive at times. If I could, I would’ve shot daggers her way. 

“So sorry,” said the smaller of the three men before walking towards the line. “We’ll order. We promise.” The line had shrunk significantly once the players had entered the shop. It must’ve been a new game starting or breakfast rush had slowed. 

“I already got my coffee,” said the tallest man. “I’m going to go back to the arena so I’m not late for practice. See you both there.”

I took a few more orders before I was face to face with the two men I became most interested in. “You order first Shoyo,” said the taller of the two or the one that caught my interest the most. 

“Okay! What’s your favorite?” asked the orange hair man. I didn’t even notice he was asking me until I stopped locking eyes with his friend. 

“Oh,” I stuttered. “I enjoy an iced vanilla latte. It always seemed to pep me up when I feel down.” 

“So a girl like you can get down. Nice to know,” smirks the taller guy. A blush crosses my face before nodding my head. 

“I’ll take that,” he said. “In a small. Also, my name is Shoyo. I saw you were writing them on the cups from earlier.”

“Well thank you Shoyo. Your drink will be ready at the end of the counter,” I said. He paid and went down to wait for his friend. 

Now that I was face-to-face with this man, my heart started beating a little bit faster. “What would you like?”

“Your number on a cup.” His eyes held a pretty boy twinkle and his mouth was a smirk. I roll my eyes. “No. I’m serious. I’d love to either get your number or give you mine.”

“Can I at least get a name first?” I question while pulling out a small cup. 

“Toru Oikawa,” he said. “Plus I would want something a little bit bigger than that. I need some energy for my game today. How about an iced caramel macchiato with an extra shot. Put a little extra cream in there.”

“Right away,” I said while putting his name on the cup. “It’ll be at the end of the bar for you Mr. Oikawa.”

He looked towards the cup before turning to look back at me. “No number?” he asked. “I’m guessing you’re taken then? Boyfriend must be lucky.”

“I’m not taken,” I comment before handing the drink to my boss. She starts making the drink while trying to overhear new drama. “But I’m waiting to see how much you tip before I see if I should waste my time on a volleyball star.”

He chuckles before paying with a card. “Add ten dollars onto my bill and count that as your tip.” I took his card and slid it through while putting in the tip. On the bottom of the receipt, I put my number. 

“When might you get off of work?” he asks. A few of the patrons groaned at the length of time. 

“I get off at 5 or whenever my replacement arrives.”

“Damn. I have a game.” Oikawa pauses for a moment before taking the receipt. “If you come to watch, I’ll take you out for dinner afterwards. My treat. Just go up to the front and tell them Toru saved some tickets. You can bring a friend if you want but I’m the only one taking you to dinner.”

“Sounds like a date,” I smirk. 

“Then it's a date,” he repeated before walking down to the end of the bar. He got his drink and left with his friend. After a few minutes, I felt a faint buzz from my phone which left a smile on my face for the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you have enjoyed! Please leave a comment with who you want next!


	2. A Teacher's Work is Never Done (Sugawara/Reader Pt 1)

The early morning shift at the No Doze Cafe always seemed to bring an array of variety of characters. Usually there are the sleepless, shy students that come to the cafe to get a quick drink and bite to eat. Sometimes there’s the brute businessmen who down three cups of coffee before they finally get off the phone. But my personal favorite are the exhausted teachers who stop by to get a quick coffee before sitting down to grade. Our shop is located near a preparatory school for school aged children. 

If I was being honest, morning was my favorite time of the day which always made the morning shift the best. Today, the gods decided to create a deluge of thunderstorms. I found myself covered in wet rain splotches as I entered the key into the door. I was the morning shift leader so I had to be there early enough to start heating up cold pastries or make fresh vats of coffee. 

My wet hair clung to my neck. It would be an unholy mess come the next few hours. Once inside, I praised the heat from the furnace in the corner. Carrie must’ve stocked some of the inventory early this morning or the heater would not be on today. Before starting on getting things ready, I dried off my shaking body by the fire. My body temperature finally increased until I wasn’t shaking anymore. 

A knock at the door took me away from the furnace. I turn to see a group of high schoolers trying to get into the cafe. I rolled my eyes, put my hair back, and went to fix a vat of coffee. After a few more incessant knocks at the door, I went to turn on the open sign. 

“Finally!” cried the group of drenched high schoolers. There were a few more cheers of adalation until they walked to the same furnace I was at only a moment ago. “I thought you weren’t going to open the door for us Ms.,” said one of the older ones. “The rain started to pick up.”

“You’re lucky that I even opened the door for all of you,” I joke while walking behind the bar. “I could’ve let you soak.”

“You wouldn’t do that,” joked one of the girls called Harper. “We’re your best customers.” I roll my eyes knowing that they were right. These teens were our bread and butter of the business. Most of their studying took place at this cafe rather than anywhere else. 

The timer on the vat of coffee dings to signal its done. I grab the pot before placing it on the counter. One of the students comes up to ask for a black coffee. “Good thing I just made some,” I smile.

The front door swings open to see another one of the regulars. “Good morning Sensei,” said Eichi, the youngest of the group. He helped out with the elementary schools after his high school classes were done for the day. 

“Good morning, Eichi,” said the light-grey haired man. “Are you going to stop by the school on your walk home today? The kids keep asking when the ‘pretty high school boy’ is coming back.” A slight blush was on the cheeks of the younger boy. 

A few of the girls teased their friend as they went back to talking about classwork for the day. 

The teacher walked over to the counter. He placed his large messenger bag on the counter before shaking off some of the rain from his hair. 

“Hey, don’t get our system wet.” It was a jest by myself as I wiped off any extra water from the till. “You know I’d have to take it out of my paycheck.”

“You and I both know that Carrie wouldn’t do that,” he said. “She may tell me to take it out of mine but that’s a whole different story.” I could’ve sworn the room became brighter when he smiled. I mirrored him as I put in his normal black coffee with 2 pumps of vanilla. 

“How are the children, Sugawara?” I ask while going to pump the vanilla. He reaches into the bag, pulls out some cash, hands over the three dollars and places it on the counter. 

“I thought I told you to call me Suga,” he said while adjusting the messenger bag back on his shoulder. When I didn’t respond, he continued. “They’re doing alright. Testing season is coming so they're all a little worried.”

“I still can’t believe they test your little third graders. I feel like they should push it back a little. Let the kids be kids.” I pick up his coffee and hand it to him. “There you go. One coffee with two shots of vanilla.”

“Thanks,” Suga said. A few of the teenagers started whispering quietly while giggling. We turn our attention towards them. Their conversation stops only for a second before returning quiet whispers. I turn my attention back to the regular. 

“So, Suga.” His name feels nice on my tongue. “Are you going to stay for a while or do you have some meeting at school?”

Suga adjusted his bag as it started to fall. Our eyes meet once again. A small blush fell on my cheeks which made me turn away. “I can stay for a little while. Our staff meeting doesn’t start for another twenty minutes.”

“Oh don’t stay on my regard,” I say while watching one of the girls jokingly hit Eichi. “I don’t want to keep you from your job. Your kids would be nothing without you.”

“No. I can stay.” Suga took off his coat and messenger back. “As long as I could get another coffee to go then I’ll be alright.” He places his bag back onto the bar and takes a seat at one of the bar stools overlooking where we make our coffee. 

A couple of the girls giggle until Suga looks over his shoulder once again. The girls suddenly turn away. “I think they’re talking about us,” I comment. 

“I was thinking the same thing,” he responded. “I bet they think we can’t hear them.”

I roll my eyes before starting another pot of coffee. It was getting to be later in the morning and a few more students were going to join the crowd soon enough. “I wonder what they would be discussing.” My voice was loud enough for them to hear. Suga only chuckled before pulling out some papers. He always had papers to grade. 

“Oh you know Ms,” said the tallest and most abrasive of the boys in the group: Kisho. He was a troublemaker at school but great at comedy nights. My only response was to shake my head. A few of the outcasts of the group order some drinks for the road. The high school would be starting soon. 

“Bye Ms. and Sensei,” called Harper. 

“You two should kiss already,” Kisho calls before running out the door. 

“Kisho!” exclaims one of the girls before chasing after him. 

“Teenagers,” I groan. Grabbing a rag, I clean off any surface the teens may have touched. 

“They’re right though,” commented Suga. I hadn’t realized he got out of his chair and followed me to the furnace. “Huh?” I questioned. “Maybe not the kissing part yet, but I’d love a date with you.”

I turn and stand only to be face-to-face with his hazel eyes. I stutter out a “a date with me?”

“Yes,” he shrugged while moving a small piece of damp hair from my face. “I can pick you up after school.”

“Oh.” Pink blush was on both our cheeks. “I’d love to Suga.”

“Suga or Koshi. You can say whichever you’d like.” Our faces were only inches apart. He rested his hand on my face. I’d be easy to lean into any touch he’d give but I only smiled as he pulled away. 

“Koshi. I like it.”

An alarm goes off in his bag. I watch as he checks the alarm and quickly picks up the phone. It must’ve been something at the school because Suga shoved the papers into the bag before heading to the door. 

Before leaving, he puts the phone to his chest, smiles at me and says, “I’ll see you after school.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you have enjoyed! Please leave a comment with who you want next!


	3. Perceptiveness Breeds Injury (Tsukishima/Reader pt 1)

The most recent volleyball tournament had the city swamped with people. I didn’t understand the appeal; however, it kept our little cafe extremely busy. Usually there was only one person working the early morning, two through the rushes, and one later in the day. Since the games started, we’d have to add another person to each shift. It had become an annoying inconvenience to my already busy life. 

My hands became busy with the continued overflow of drinks. I found myself cursing everything under the sun. Like my job, the endless stream of customers, people who kept ordering complicated drinks, and the whole damn volleyball tournament. 

“Shit,” I groan holding my swollen finger. I pulled it away from the hot side of the metal. A few more expletives came from my lips. I quickly run my finger under some of the cool water in the sink. I sigh crosses my lips before I turn back to the hot cream-filled cup. 

“You have to be more careful there,” calls my boss. She pulls out an old first aid kit and hands over a bandage. “If you keep this up, there’s going to be no more fingers to burn.” I look at all the bandages covering my two hands. I had become more reckless with all the business. 

“I’ll be more careful,” I say while filling the cup to the top with the foamy milk. I added the extra shot that was on the same counter, swished the drink three times, and placed the lid on it. “Wakatoshi,” I call while placing the drink down. 

I turned to pick up the next receipt but Carrie had already picked it up. “Honey,” she interrupts. “You can do register for a while. I don’t want to have to send you home. I’m going to need you for a pick up later today.”

My mouth opened in objection but she only stared me down. While I adore my boss, she can be particular about our health and safety. Plus I am considered to be the child of this ragtag team of people. 

With my pulsing fingers, I turn to look at the tall, blonde-haired, glasses wearing man. He always seemed to come in during my shift. Or he would come to our shop regularly enough that I would see him once a shift. 

“Tsukishima,” I questioned. Names were not my forte but faces were. Plus he was freakishly tall which added to his ability to be remembered by my brain. This time, he had on his volleyball sweatshirt. Figures he played. “Let me guess, black small coffee?”

“It seems I’ve had a presence on you,” he said. 

If I could roll my eyes at customers, he would be one. “It’s because of your shirt,” I comment. 

I hadn’t noticed that his name was on his shirt until after I mentioned it. Suddenly, my act of remembering turned into a selfish callout. Both of us exchanged the same look as we locked eyes again. A mix of annoyance and challenging the other. 

“My order isn’t written on my shirt, yet you remembered it.”

A few customers huffed behind him while checking their watch. Another couple were ogling over the tall volleyball player. A smirk took over my lips.

“You’re pretty perceptive,” I commented while writing his name on the cup. I turn my back to him while I pour the coffee. Basic orders were done by the registers. Partly, I wanted to turn around to gain my own bearings on the situation. 

I filled up his cup a little bit more before turning back to face him once again. “Here you go. That will be 2.15,” I said. He handed me a 5 before turning and taking a sip of his coffee. 

By the time I made his change, he was replaced by an angry businessman. I watch as he takes a seat in a far booth while still facing me. This was all too odd as he normally leaves as soon as he gets his drink. 

“Excuse me,” called the angry customer. “I’ll take a dark roast with heavy cream- are you even listening to me.” His words shake me from my daze of watching.

“Sorry sir. One dark roast coming right up!” I could even feel the fake high pitch in my service voice. 

After a while, the line began slowing and people were starting to leave their tables. I took the slow opportunity to go and clean some of the messy tables left by school children or grumpy adults alike. I pass by the blonde’s table; however, he turns his body towards mine too. 

I wipe away the stain on the table only to notice Tsukishima watching me. “Uhm, sir,” I comment while putting the wet rag back in the soapy bucket. “Is there something wrong?”

“No,” he said while pushing his glasses up onto his face. “I didn’t think it was fair for you to know my name and that I didn’t know yours.” Fiery red hot blush covered my cheeks. “I’m Tsukishima Kei. And you are?”

His fingers drummed on the empty coffee in his hands. He must’ve finished it awhile ago but stayed until I had time to talk. “We don’t really like giving out names,” I say. His hands were also covered in the same bandages mine were. 

“What happened to your fingers?”

“I could ask the same for you.” His comment caught me off guard as I tried to hide the few fingers that held the wrapping. There was a pause before he continued. “I’m a middle blocker so my fingers take a lot of strain. I’m guessing you’ve not seen any of the games.”

“No. I’ve been a little busy,” I sigh while sloshing the bucket from one hand to the next. “You know, work and stuff. We’ve been a little swamped because of the games. People really seem to like your sport.”

“Hey!” Carrie called from across the room. “Ten minute required break time for you.” I signaled that I acknowledged her statement. 

The blonde smirked for a moment. “Seems like you’re not busy right now. How about you get a coffee as my treat and take your break with me. I’d love to see how perspective you actually are.”

His eyes were as deadly as my own. “Deal,” I comment. “I do only have 10 minutes so you’ll have to be fast.”

“Then if we don’t end up finishing our talk, I’ll buy you dinner. Games are done for the night.”

I take a moment to bite my lip to think. “Let’s see how these ten minutes go and I’ll tell you when my shift ends.”

“You got yourself a deal,” he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments and likes! Who should I do next?


	4. Celebrities Need Milk Too (Kageyama/reader)

My favorite time of the day was walking to work. It didn’t matter the shift, daytime, or who my co-workers were. All that mattered was the music playing through my headphones as I would walk down the cracked sidewalk. I found myself staring at my reflection in window shop glass more than I looked where I was going. I trusted my feet to go where they needed because of the amount of time I’d walked this path. 

My hands mess with a misplaced hair before being covered up by a new poster in the window of a macaroon shop. My feet stop as I look at the volleyball players that littered the paper. It was for a big match up tonight against the Schweiden Adlers and MSBY Black Jackals. This particular poster seemed to be dedicated to the Adlers with their star players lit up by a golden light. 

If I was being honest, I hadn’t been paying too much attention to the recent volleyball tournament that plagued the city. All the hubbub has done is make the shop a busier than normal. 

A small buzz takes me away from the poster. I curse under my breath as I see that I was slightly late for work. My feet pick up the pace in hopes of getting there in a time that my boss would deem acceptable. 

As I got to the shop, a group of people had gathered around one person. He was taking pictures outside as if he were a celebrity. This struck me as odd because we don’t get a lot of famous people that visit this particular coffee shop. 

The so-assumed celebrity seemed to not be a fan of pictures or autographs. He had yet to figure out the perfect hand placement so that it was not awkward for the girls or himself. His smile had yet to meet his eyes and even looked like a painful experience. I couldn’t help but chuckle as the girls fawned over him. 

In-between photos, I caught the eyes of this strange man. His dark turquoise eyes seemed to be filled with a mixture of please help along with disinterest and an intensity unmatched by anyone I’d ever met. I had seen them somewhere before but I couldn’t put my finger on where. 

I, however, did not have time to ponder who this celebrity could be. No Doze Cafe was bustling with people. Almost all the tables were filled with patrons either waiting on coffee orders, studying for an upcoming test, or laughing with their group of friends. A few people were crammed at the window in hopes of getting the celebrities attention. 

“You’re late again,” called Carrie as she walked out from the back room. Her apron was covered in old stains. 

“I know,” I say while putting on my own apron. “I promise it won’t happen again.”

“I really should keep a tally of how many times you’ve told me you won’t be late again.” Her voice may have been teasing but I could feel her pressing me about my tardiness. 

“Or you could just dock my pay like you keep saying you will,” I comment while picking up the closest cup. I read the marking scribbled on the side. White Peppermint Mocha: Our most popular seller around the holiday seasons. 

I quickly mixed this drink while preparing for the rush of customers that would likely enter the shop if the guy ever was given a break. “Akashi,” I call while placing the drink on the counter. 

My fears became a reality as the swarm of people followed right behind the guy from outside. I found myself cursing his very own existence. Instead of immediately stepping into line, he decides to take a seat, pull out his phone, and start watching some video.

Rather than comment on his strange behavior, Carrie shouted at me to get back to work. She can sometimes get grouchy if enough people have pissed her off today. Sadly, I was one of them. 

As the day grew later and later, people became less interested in the celebrity and more interested in getting their coffee to go. The after school rush had simmered to a slow boil. There were a few people still seated at tables watching the man. 

Carrie decided to take a small smoke break to clear her head from the rush. I was left taking and filling orders. 

“See you later Ms,” called one of the regular high school students. I waved goodbye to him before walking back to the cash register. To my surprise, it was the man from outside. 

“Oh it’s you,” I say. 

His eyes narrow to the same intense expression-filled scowl he had earlier in the day. “Would you want a picture or something?” he asked. His voice was filled with annoyance and a little disappointment. 

“No,” I commented. “I wasn’t expecting you to actually get anything after you didn’t get in line at the start.”

He paused. It was the same pause that I had given him earlier when we locked eyes. It was the feeling of confusion mixed with a little wonder. “You were watching me?”

A heat flushed along my cheeks. “I-I was watching you because of the crowd. We normally don’t get celebrities in the cafe.”

I could’ve sworn that the same blush on my cheeks mirrored on his. “I wouldn’t say that I’m a celebrity,” he said. “I’m just well known.”

“Well, sorry for calling you a celebrity,” I say, trying to make up for my misstep. “What could I get for you?”

He looked around as if to spy on anyone that would listen to his order. “That’s actually what I would need help with. I haven’t visited a coffee shop before. A friend of mine said that you made good hot chocolate with real milk. He said it was the best he’s ever had.”

“Oh would you like to try the hot chocolate?” I ask. “We import some of the cocoa from a shop in Paris.”

“Is there anything else with a lot of milk? I’m not a huge fan of chocolate.” His face flushed harder. It was a cute look to break up the angry intensity of his normal face. 

I giggle before responding, “Yes we have plenty of items made with milk. Would you want something cold or hot?”

“I guess cold,” he mumbled. “Also could you add coffee?”

“Yes we can,” I say with my typical retail smile. “I would recommend a Macchiato. It has two shots of espresso with a base of milk. I enjoy the drink a lot. I would get a shot of some flavor in it though.”

“I’m fine without the flavor,” he said. “But make it a large.”

“And can I get a name for that order?”

“Kageyama.”

Suddenly, the names of the teammates on the poster flash before my eyes. His name was highlighted under one of the players. That was where I remember seeing his eyes before. “You’re the setter for the big game tonight.”

The comment must’ve caught him off guard. The already pink cheeks became an even darker shade of red. “Y-yes I am,” he commented before pulling out the money to pay. “You can keep the change. Think of it as a tip.”

He handed me six extra dollars about the cost of his drink. “I can’t take this,” I say while pushing the money back into his hands. “That’s too much as a tip.”

“N-no. I insist.” He pushed the money back into my hands. “You helped me a lot.”

“If you’re sure.” I make the change before placing the rest of the money into the tip jar. “That was very nice of you.”

“No problem.” Embarrassment must’ve been too much for him because Kageyama walked towards the end of the bar. I quickly make his drink before handing it over to him. 

“Here you go sir. One Macchiato.” I turn away before he stutters out “W-wait.”

I turn back to see that he is looking at the drink. “W-would you be at the game tonight?”

“Oh, I don’t get off work until really late. I doubt my boss will allow me to go.”

Kageyama scoffed before looking back up at me. “I-I would really appreciate it if you could be there. I don’t have lots of pull but I could pay a little extra if you can get off.”

“Are you asking me on a date?”

“No,” he stammers. “I was just asking because you’ve really helped me and I want to see you more.”

A smile crossed my face before I picked up a napkin off the counter and my pen. I wrote down my number and placed the napkin on top of his cup. “I don’t think I can come tonight,” I comment. “However, I’d love to see you again too, Kageyama.”

“O-oh,” he stutters before locking eyes with me. The faint blush had faded. “I’ll give you a call after my game. Maybe we can meet up and I can show you the video.”

“I’d love that,” I say. The black-haired man seemed confused that his confession had worked. He bid me a farewell before walking out the door. 

“What was that guy’s deal?” asked Carrie. She must’ve finished up her cigarette in the time we were talking. 

“That- my dear Carrie- is the celebrity that was outside.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! Hopefully you enjoyed it. If you have a suggestion for a character, please leave a comment!!


	5. A Small Frame can Leave Big Shadows (Hinata/Reader)

“We’re closing in ten,” called Carrie from the back. The shop had been slower than any other day this week. Carrie, my boss, had sent all the high school students home early while keeping me and another closer on. Her announcement was directed at the staff but it’s intended audience was the customers still littered around the coffee shop. 

My eyes roll as I turn to make drinks for the few high school students staying later to finish a group project due tomorrow. “Eichi, you should know to do your work earlier. Coach Sugawara isn’t going to be lenient on you.” I pass the handmade drink to the taller high schooler. He’s been a regular since his 1st year in high school. 

“I know, Miss,” he says. “He lectures me as much as my dad.” He smiles the same beaming, white grin that I see almost every day. “We’ll be out soon. We’re almost done studying. Who knew English was so difficult.”

“Good luck on your test tomorrow.” I called to the teen but he was too busy walking back to his friends. He sent a small wave my way while fixing the obnoxiously swoopy hair. 

I go back to making the cold brews and lattes for the evening. Usually, I would be watching the clock for the official closing time; however, Carrie must’ve scared off the rest of the people as the building slowly became a ghost town. 

My hands work towards cleaning the used cups and putting away any remaining coffee beans. I felt a large hand on my head as Carrie nugged through my hair. “I’ll let Sato be the official closer for tonight. You’ve been putting in a lot of hours.”

“Thank you,” I sigh. Even during less-than-busy days, my feet ache with blisters from all the walking and my knees grew tired. I finish up with the small amount of washing to turn and see my boss in her tall frame. She has on a puffy winter coat since the January winter was hitting hard this year. “I’ll lock up so that he doesn’t have to.”

“Good girl,” says my boss while placing the keys in my hand. I was the opener tomorrow so the keys would be returned within a few hours. “I’m going to head out.”

“See you tomorrow,” I say while going into the dining area to pick up any spare cups left by trash cans or tables. Once I’d gathered the few cups and returned back behind the bar, the time had finally hit for close. 

Placing the mugs and cups into the sink, I washed each one delicately. “You really should lock the door before more people arrive,” said the other closer. He was a grumpy, middle-aged man whose love for coffee outweighed his dislike for people. 

I nod my head while grabbing my coat. Even though the door will only be open for a second, it still is freezing cold. I walk out into the brisk late night air. The sun set long ago and left the moon in its wake. My fingers fumble with the keys due to the bitter wind. 

“Wait!” called a younger voice. My gaze turns to see a person running towards the door. He was not dressed for the weather outside. He wore a volleyball jersey and some sweatpants. His bright orange hair lit up the bland outside. I couldn’t help but watch as he finally caught up the door. “Did I make it in time?”

“Well, I was about to lock the door,” I mumble. The man was panting as if he had sprinted the full way from the stadium. He hobbled over while holding his knees as a support. After I spoke, his eyes turned up to meet mine. It was the same eyes that would always come in later in the day. Normally, I can tell who it is by the neon hair; however, a lot of people have taken to the trend of dying theirs to match their favorite player. 

“Shit,” he shouted. “The game ran late. Astumu told me that I’d never make it on time. Please. I’ll pay you extra. I need this to do better in my games.” His fist was balled up in excitement as he stood tall, well, as tall as he could stand. 

“You’re Hinata right?” I say. “The decoy I’ve been hearing so much about.” His wide eyes grew at the thought of someone else knowing his name. 

“Yes!” he shouts. The addrenallen must’ve ran out due to the man shivering in the cold. My eyes flicker back and forth between the open door and the volleyball blocker. 

“Fine,” I say while putting my keys into the door. “I’ll let you this one time but you have to take it to go. I wouldn’t want you freezing all this way to return empty handed. 

As I walked back into the shop, I tried to not look at the glarning anger sent my way from my co-worker. “I promise I’ll be fast.” I don't know if the shorty’s comment was towards me or towards my counterpart. I took over the till as Sato went to mop the floors. 

“Can I have a cappuccino to go with some hazelnut please?” 

“Okay. What size?”

“The biggest size you have,” he says. All of his words were said with an excitement that left a full smile on my face even after a long day of work. 

He hands me his card. I finish the transaction before quickly making his drink. Sato and Carrie would not be happy with the service I was providing. I was lucky that my coworker had yet to count the money in the til. 

The smell of filter espresso permitted the room. “So, Hinata,” I say. “What made you run all this way for coffee? There is a shop a little closer to your arena.”

Hinata puts his hands together as if to warm the blue-tinted fingertips. “Oh. I have always come here since the games started. Bokuto says it's my ritual. The one time I went to the other coffee shop, we lost that game. All my teammates tell me that I have to come here or we’ll lose.”

My hands absentmindedly pour the espresso into the drink. “So we’re your good luck charm?” 

“Actually, I thought you were.” My eyes shoot up from the cup in front of me. He continued, “You’re always here when I am. Either you work too many hours or you’re good luck. I tried going this morning before practice but you weren’t here.” 

I placed the lid on his coffee before turning to see the orange-haired man had a slight blush on his face. “Well, here’s your drink.” I pass the hot liquid over until our hands touch. 

“Thanks.” His voice held a stutter that wasn’t there before. “I really appreciate you staying later to make this for me.”

“No problem,” I say. His small frame turns towards the door. I follow him with my eyes while wondering what to say to keep the conversation going. 

“Uhm, Hinata?” I call. My voice spoke before my mind processed the words. His hair flopped as he turned to look at me. “I have a few closing things that need to get done. You’ll get too cold if you continue to walk outside in this weather. Let me walk you at least to my bus stop.”  
His smile sparkled more than the shimmering moon. “Thank you.” His grace was given at the cost of the smile. “I forgot to grab a jacket when I left.”

“I might have one that’s in the lost and found. Let me check.” I quickly walked to the back room before Hinata had a moment to reply. Even I could feel the warmth beneath my cheeks. 

I finish up the small tasks behind the scenes. I praised any higher being that Carrie let me go home earlier rather than staying the extra hour to close. Sato, although being grumpy, was an extremely hard worker. 

“Sato,” I say while picking up a large coat that won’t fit the tangerine’s frame. “I’m going to head out. See you in a few days.”

The man gruffed out a goodbye as we walked out the door. “So, why did you want to walk me to your stop?” he asks. His form seemed much smaller in the large coat. Tufts of hair were messed up from the collar. 

“Oh.” It was my turn to stutter. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t running with the drink.” Lie. “You could spill it.” Another lie. “I like taking care of my customers.” While that wasn’t a lie, it wasn’t the reason I followed him. 

My mention of his drink made the man take a sip. “I should be the one walking you. After all, I am the man.” He puffed out his chest which only looked silly in the already puffed out leather. 

A chuckle passed my lips. “What’s so funny?” he continues.

“It’s just-” I pause to take a breath between my laughter. “-I’m not sure. It may be that the coat’s too big for you. Sorry. It was the only thing that was left.”

He looks down to see that the jacket was almost past his knees in length. He shrugs his shoulders before taking another sip of coffee. “It’s alright. I’ve always had to live in massive shadows. What’s one helpful coat more.”

Hinata’s face turned to look at me once again. The smile from before was replaced by a serious look. “Hey this might be too forward but I don’t have a game tomorrow night. Would you like to go to dinner or something. I have to replace your kindness somehow.”

My footsteps were caught on the uneven gravel. I stumbled but didn’t fall. The blocker’s movements were instinctive to catch me even though it was a stumble. “Sorry, sorry,” I apologize quickly. “You caught me off guard.”

I look back to see his worried face scrunched into a question. “Is that a no?”

“Oh, no, no. I would love to go to dinner with you.” Hinata gave a sigh of relief. “Here. Put your number in my phone and I’ll text you later.”

I reached into my pocket to find my simple phone and give it to the man. He inputs his number before handing it back. We continue our walk for a few more steps before we end up at the bus stop. 

“Thank you for walking me,” he says. “I look forward to that text later. My teams won’t believe that I get to go on a date tomorrow. Especially with you.” 

“Good night Hinata,” I say while the 9:30 bus pulls up to the stop. The orange haired man waves goodbye to me with his empty hand. 

As I take a seat on the bus, I find Hinata’s number and send a quick text to him; hopeful that he may reply soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2021 to all of you!! Hopefully this helps to bring a shinning star to the day with the best boy in all of Haikyuu. Hinata is one of my personal favorite because he is the embodiment of sunshine. I'm thinking the Miya Twins as the next customers at the Cafe.


	6. A Perfect View (Oikawa/Reader Pt 2)

My hands fidgeted with my phone which caused my lock screen to pop up more times than not. Even with all the games, I hadn’t traveled to this part of town in awhile. A few of the sports fans were pushing each other to see one of the games. 

I felt like a miniature version of myself as I stood outside the grand area. I checked my phone once again to see the same message. “Make sure to talk to the front gate. See you after the game~ .” Even the messages he sends are cute. 

A sigh escapes my lips as I walk to the front gate. Was I really going through with this? Could I really go through with this? 

“Ticket please?” called the ticket taker. I shook away my thoughts. 

“Oh, uh, I am here for Toru,” I say. The fast beat deep within my chest wasn’t going away. I must’ve seemed like a scared puppy to this person. The gate manager radioed over the intercom “Did Oikawa leave any tickets?”

A small female voice echoed a “yes. Tell them to go to the information desk.” The burly man turned to look at me. “It’s down the main hall and to the left.” I nod my head before following his directions. 

Cheering shook the foundation of the room. The game must’ve already started. I race to counter before sensibility takes over my mind. “I have a ticket from Toru Oikawa,” I state the person standing behind the desk. I’ve said his name so many times at this point; however, it felt like I was saying his name for the first time. The shimmering wink permeated my mind every time I said it. 

“Here is your ticket,” said the lady. She must’ve been the one that was over the radio earlier. Her voice was the same. She handed me my ticket with a typical customer service smile. “Your seat will be through those doors, up about mid-way, and in the middle. “

“Thank you,” I call. I stare back at my ticket. I, now, had another fidget in my hand. I turned the ticket over to see a note written on the back. ‘I’ll find you afterwards.’ I shake my head while entering the door. He could’ve texted me that; yet, his action was sweet. 

The seats were cramped pull down ones that always seemed to have too little space to place one’s arms. What was even more awkward was my placement in relation to the game. I was on the opposite side as Oikawa’s team where I could face him. The arena was pretty full as many more people were climbing up the stairs. 

I’d never gone to a volleyball game before. I had no clue what was happening the majority of the match. I did, however, watch the most powerful serves I’d ever seen. The sound of the ball hitting the arms of each player gave me chills that coursed throughout my body. 

Soon, it was Oikawa’s time to serve. I may have dreamed it but he and I locked eyes for a split second. A smirk crosses his face before bouncing the ball a few more times. His face was blown up on the jumbo screen. 

The cocky grin sends butterflies straight to my stomach. The flutter deep within only made my heart race. It was the same smirk he’d given me when asking for my number. If he wasn’t so pretty, it wouldn’t have worked. Lucky for him that he was graced with good genes. 

After a while, I became enthralled with the game. It helped that a parent was explaining to their child what was happening in the game near me. Otherwise, I may have never known what had happened until the final blow of the whistle. Oikawa’s team must’ve won. The cheers and shouting from the stands shook the poor stadium. 

I watched his team celebrate the win. Even in professional games, there was a drive to be the winner. It was a calling only a few star teams ever got to claim. His team must’ve moved up in the ranking. 

Some of the spectators started to get out of their seats. The two teams escaped back to their locker room. I was left with two choices: leave my seat or stay put and wait. One left a hint of mystery while baited eagerness. I decided for the latter. 

I find myself messing with my phone in the hopes of getting a message about his location. People were leaving all around me. Crowds started to gather at the exit of the court. Some of the players had come out of the locker room and were signing shirts and posters. I stuck to my lifeline of the phone.

Only a few minutes had passed. It felt like an eternity as I scrolled through the endless nothingness behind my screen. 5 minutes turned into 10 which turned into 15. At the 20, minute mark, I was going to leave. 

Suddenly, a “hey, I’m glad you came,” said a higher pitched, cocky voice. “I thought you might not show when the game started.”

I look up to see he’d changed from his uniform and into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt. His hair was still a little wet from a shower that must’ve been taken in the time I’d seen him last. “Work ran a little late,” I say. “Congratulations on winning. I can’t say that I knew a lot of what was going on but I knew that you won.”

I locked my eyes on his, and my feet suddenly felt like I hadn’t stood in years; I was an unsteady mess. If Toru had noticed, he didn’t mention it. “I know of a bar close to here,” he said while turning to look at the emptying place. “Unless you’d rather do something else. I didn’t think I’d make it this far with my barista when I asked for your number earlier today.”

“Oh,” I said while following the brunette towards the stairs. “The bar is fine. I haven’t gotten a drink out in awhile.”

Toru scoffs. “I thought guys would try to pick you up every day. Who wouldn’t want to fall for the coffee shop girl?” His typical smirk came back. It was his calling card for knowing that he made your insides melt. I could feel my own face warming up. 

“I doubt you’d want some middle-aged men hitting on you. You’re just lucky enough to be attractive.” 

“So you’re saying I’m attractive,” he called back before racing down the stairs. 

My breath caught in my throat. “T-that’s not,” I stutter.

Toru gets to the bottom of the stairs first before turning back and reaching out his hand to help me. “It’s alright. You can just say it. You find me irresistibly attractive.”

I grab onto his hand as he leads me down the last few steps. My eyes rolled before landing back on his own. “Now you’re not going to hear me say it.” He let go of my hands which felt cold without his touch. 

The volleyball player shrugs his shoulders before escorting me out of the arena. “We all have our fatal flaw. Hubris is mine. I’ll gladly wait until I find yours.”

“Even if it takes a hundred years,” I smirk. 

“Even if it takes a hundred years,” Oikawa promises. “You’ll have to keep me around until then.”

Our conversation turns to one of silence as we walk down the street. Each of our thoughts swim to find the correct words to string together. “Thank you for the ticket. The seat was a great view.”

“You’re welcome,” he commented. “I picked that seat just for you.”

“Oh why?”

“I wanted someone good-looking to be in my view while I served.” Again, his voice held the same cocky tone. The butterflies reoccurred deep within my stomach as I turned to look away from him. 

“So you were looking at me?” I ask .

“Of course. How could anyone not?” Toru’s tone changed. This time, his teasing was mixed with hint sincerity I had yet to know. He was being serious in every compliment and cocky statement he had said before; however, this one was different. 

Before I could respond, Oikawa pointed his finger towards a sign across the street. “There it is,” he called. “Let’s get inside before it gets too chilly.” He takes my hand once again to cross the bustling street. His hand was calloused from all the extra practice he’d put into his sport. All the hard work and dedication could be found all over his body. Each muscle was born from a drive to be the best.

Once inside, we grabbed one of the open tables. “Should we start off with ‘tell me about yourself’ or get into the deep stuff?” the brunette asked. “Or would you rather order a drink to start off the night? This is all my treat, of course.”

“How about you tell me about yourself, Toru?” I said while picking up the drink menu. I decided to use it as a camping mechanism instead of my phone. I already knew what drink I’d want. It was the same I’d always get at the bar. “What made you choose volleyball?”

“Now that’s a long story,” Oikawa says. “Hope you don’t have to work tomorrow, darling because I want you to have the best first date of your life.” His promise was a bold one; yet, I knew he would deliver. 

A waitress took our drink orders before Toru starts on his story and the beginning of the best date of my life.“If I’m being honest, Volleyball was all I ever wanted to do my entire life…”


	7. Glass is a Fickle Item (Akaashi pt 1)

Only two days into the tournament and our little staff was starting to get an understanding of when the crowds would storm No Doze. The high school students and working class folks would come in the morning or mid afternoon after class had ended. Teachers would follow within the next hour. This has been the schedule ever since Carrie opened this Cafe three years ago. 

Harper, a new teenage hire, had gone to the tournament to get to a schedule of games after the first day of a huge rush. We hung the schedule in the break room; not to tell us when the games were but when there were breaks. Volleyball fanatics flooded to local businesses whenever there was more than 10 minutes in-between major games. 

Today was going to be a busy day because there were long pauses between the main matches. This caused a lot of our glassware to be left out on tables, in the hands of guests, or sitting next to those who have been done for an hour. 

“You really should go pick up some of our glasses,” called Carrie from the frother machine. Harper was watching over her to learn how to make the drinks. “Harper can take cash until you get back.”

I sigh. Busy days combined with sports fans make a bad combination. One wrong game and they have lost all their self-control. Yelling at baristas became an occupational hazard; especially whenever you tried to take empty cups from them. 

A few of the customers force their empty cups onto my platter. It was starting to become a pile of dirty dishes that would need to be cleaned quickly. A sigh escaped my lips before I went to the back corner of the cafe. A few friends were talking with plastic cups held up to their lips. One guy was chugging his drink while actively scrolling through his phone. The last guy sat in the corner with his laptop open and a cup sitting on the edge of the table. 

As much as I don’t normally bother with customers when they are working, our lack of dishware was concerning. “Sir, are you done with your drink,” I ask the man typing on his computer. He stops for a moment and looks up at me. 

“Yes I am,” he said without looking up from his computer. “I should have brought it up sooner. I’m sorry.” His fingers didn’t leave the keyboard as he spoke. 

I picked up the glass and balanced it against the rest of the perched dishes. “It’s alright sir,” I say. “You seem busy. I’m sorry for bothering you.”

For a moment, his fingers stop typing to look up at me. His face seemed expressionless; yet, there was some element of observation. “You shouldn’t be sorry about doing your job.” A smile crossed his face which I mirrored. It was as if I was betwixt into his pull. Part of me wanted to find more reasons to talk with him but the weight on my hand was getting too much. I was about to go back to my gathering of porcelain when a loud noise echoed across the small cafe. 

“Akaashi!” called someone from the door. Both the man and mine attention was dragged to the bolstering white-haired guy in his volleyball uniform. “You left the stadium?”

A sigh left the lips of the man as he shut his laptop. “Kotaro, I thought we talked about this. I was to meet you here after you got done with your game.”

“But Akaashi, I wanted you to interview the rest of my teammates.” The wandering eyes of people had dispersed as the player finally calmed down his voice. I stepped back to give the two space to talk. I was going to take this as my cue to get back behind the bar until I was held captive in his eyes. “Oh, I see what happened. Why did you tell me that you got a girlfriend.”

“Oh no-”

“We’re not-” Our sentences were mixed with each other as we both tried to explain the situation. 

“I’m just the waitress at this cafe,” I say as I finally get over my initial stuttering. “I was picking up his drink. That’s all.”

A smirk fell upon the player’s lips. “That’s all huh.” We both nod our heads.

“Yes, Bokuto,” said Akaashi. His voice was a firm, authoritarian one that made my heart skip a small beat. “That’s all that happened.” 

Bokuto looked between us and shrugged his shoulders. “Okay.’ Then you would be against me getting her number.” The two men locked eyes. It was a stalemate between these two friends. Who was going to give up their facade first. “You would be okay with that, right Akaashi?” 

The writer held his impassive face. The only time he broke was when he turned back to the closed laptop on the table. All of us were at a deadlock for who would speak first. I decided it was my turn. “I need to get back to the bar. These dishes are getting heavy, afterall.” 

I take a step back before hitting a person that stood up behind me. My balance was thrown off and I started tumbling towards the table of two men. Akaashi was the first one to react. His hands held onto the tray’s base as he picked up the tray before it was a shattered mess on the floor. 

As we held the tray in between our hands, our eyes locked on each other. I could feel the breath leave my lungs as I could see a mix of fear along with adrenaline deep within the blank look.  
“I’m so sorry,” said the disembodied voice behind me. I was too consumed to think about the person I collided with. 

“Are you okay?” Akaashi asked. “That could’ve been a terrible trip.”

My whole body felt like the thermostat was turned up to the hottest setting or I’d been in the sun too much. “Y-yeah,” I said while taking back the tray. “I’m alright. Thank you for that.” As much as I wanted to walk away from the situation, my legs wouldn’t allow me. 

A chuckle turned our attention away from each other. “Seems like the universe wants you two to be together too.” 

“Bokuto,” hisses Akaashi. “Cut it out.”

“Awe, is Akaashi nervous?” teases the owl. 

Our eyes meet one more time before both of us turn away. If I wasn’t too busy with hiding my own burning face, I would have seen the blush still on his. Without saying a word, I walk to the bar. I wasn’t about to go back out with those two still here. 

‘I’m taking a small break, Carrie,” I call while setting down the dishes in the sink. I had to get out of the situation or either of them would realize how loud my heart was beating or how on fire my skin felt. 

I walked back to the bathroom except a hand held onto my shoulder. I turned back to see it was Akaashi once again. “Ignore him,” said the man. “Bokuto means well. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I promise that I’m alright. Thank you for checking on me.” Again, I stood there unable to move. It was as if he was my medusa. “I-I was wondering if I could give you my number.” The words were out of my mouth before my mind could process them. “That is if you’re single or want my number.”

“Yes.” His response was quick. Almost too quick. He pulled out his phone and gave it to me. “I’d love to keep in touch with you.”

I take his phone and put my number in it. By my name, I put a pink heart as a reminder of who I am. As soon as he got his phone back, he was texting someone. My phone buzzed in my pocket.

“Hey, Akaashi, did you get your number or do I have to make you jealous again?” said the volleyball player from a table next to us. Akaashi turned his attention to his friend. 

“No. I got her number. Now let’s get back so I can interview whoever on your team. Didn’t you say the Miya twins were finally reunited. I may want to get Otsumu’s view on his new recipe.”

Bokuto sighed before following his friend. “At least promise me that you’ll take her somewhere nice before I have to go to the next tournament. Sometimes you get a little too much into your work.”

Akaashi raised his hand as if to do a scout’s honor. “I promise to take her to dinner. Now let’s get out of here. I’ve been embarrassed a little too much today.” He practically had to drag his friend out of the cafe. Still, my heart would not stop beating with adrenaline for the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This series is a choose your own adventure. Pick your favorite man or all of them. I will try to make as many of them as possible with continuations. So far, there is Oikawa, Sugawara, Tuskishima, Kageyama, Hinata, and Akaashi. If you have a suggestion or comment, please message me!!


	8. Tied Apron Strings (Sugawara Pt 2 First Date)

Sugawara’s idea of a first date was to give me an address to a location, tell me what type of outfit I should wear, and tell me a time to be there. If I hadn’t known him as a regular in the café, I may have been more cautious towards this type of date. Instead, Koshi’s attempt at romance made my heart flutter. He must’ve gotten this idea from one of the cheesy romance movies he watches on weekends. 

My head was buried in my phone as I watched the little dot follow along the path to my destination. The address Sugawara picked wasn’t too far from my apartment. Plus I didn't want to spend any extra money on unnecessary expenses like a car. 

The blue dot came closer and closer to the checkered flag with each step. They were grounding motions as I became afraid of what I had agreed to do. First dates were never my forte. I would only look up to see if I was in the way of another passerby. 

I looked up one more time and spotted my date before he had an idea that I was there. He stood outside an old brick building. He leaned on the staircase for support. I’d seen Koshi dressed up many times. He was a teacher after all. This time was different. He looked more put together as if he spent extra time getting ready. He was dressed in a pale blue top that was tucked into his corduroy pants. The shirt had been recently pressed as residue of post ironed wrinkles still laid claim to his back. 

His profile was a beautiful sight to see. His head was turning to look down the opposite side of the street as that was where the cafe resided. I could’ve stayed for the full date admiring his beauty; however, a shout from behind me must’ve caught his attention. His head turns and we’re face to face. 

Suga waves his hand as if to beckon me closer. I feel his pull as I finally start walking towards him. “You look gorgeous,” he said once I was in earshot. The simple phrase made my heart skip a beat. He moved out of his comfortable, relaxed state and put his phone away. 

Words caught in my mouth as I stared down at my own outfit in pure wonder of what I actually put on today. “Oh, thank you. You look great too.” I tried not to give away that I was staring at him from far too long. My eyes met back at his once I gained the courage to look. I was met with his smile that reached from one ear to the other. He reached out a hand towards me. 

“Where are we going?” I ask and take his hand. The teacher looked up at the brick building and started his incline up the stairs. 

“I’ll explain inside,” he says. “I’m glad you’re on time. If you’d been any later, we would have missed our reservation.”

“Our reservation?” I asked while following behind him. Suga didn’t respond except for entering through the door. Inside was a quaint reception area. I looked around the older looking room to see if there was a sign for our destination. Sadly, there were no markers other than the reception desk and a couple that sat in chairs across from it. 

Koshi hit the bell. The resounding ring echoed through the small room. He’d let go of my hand after we saw the pair. An elderly lady came out behind a beaded curtain. “Hello, do we have a reservation for today?”

“Yes. It should be two for Sugawara,” he replied. 

“The room is up the stairs, on the third floor, and to the right.” The lady held the same smile mirrored on all our faces; however, the word room was concerning. What did he have planned for us? 

Suga made sure to grasp my hand once again. He must’ve noticed the look of confusion on my face. Suddenly, the realization of what she with the lack of information he had given me had said dawned on him. He pulled me up a few steps before leaning in, “I thought you might like a cooking class.” The teacher was so close that I could smell his cologne of sea breeze. “I wouldn’t do that to you. We’re learning how to make bread. With a tasting afterwards.” 

He was so close that I swore he would’ve heard my heart skip a beat. For a first date, Koshi didn’t hold back. “You’ll have to tell me how much this cost so I can pay you back later,” I said. After the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them. Suga was only trying to be nice and I worried about his financial status. 

“No worries. This is all my treat.” The third floor came before either of us could finish the conversation. I was the first to open to a large kitchen with many tables. Couples, families, and friends were gathered around each of the tables with aprons around their necks. 

“Welcome, welcome,” called the enthusiastic instructor. “You must be Mr and Mrs. Sugawara.” He was a broad man dressed for a day of cooking. His hands were already covered in a thin layer of flour. 

Suga and I turned to look at each other on how to respond politely to the instructor that we were not, in fact, married. Instead, he hands us two white aprons and ushers us to our seats. 

“We really should have told him-” I joke while putting on my apron over my head. 

“-I did put two under my name,” he interrupted while following the same pattern. “Maybe we already look like we could be.” My heart couldn’t tell if his words were meant as a joke or if there was a hint of seriousness. I chose to ignore the continuous pounding that threatened to escape my chest. 

My date turned around so that his back was facing mine. “Can you please tie me up?” he asked. Now I know he was teasing me. I took the two apron strings in my hands and made a tight bow. My hands were suddenly aware of how much they touched his back. It was an intimate moment that I dared not disturb. 

“Can you do the same for me?” I ask while turning away from him. For a moment, I felt nothing except for eyes drilled into the middle of my back; the same stare I’d given only a second ago. Suga took the strings into his hand and I felt the tie against my back. A few more tugs of the string and the apron was secure. 

I turned back to face Koshi; yet, his hands were still floating next to my waist. Our faces were close enough that I could feel his hot breath dancing across my skin. Before either of us could speak, the instructor started the class. 

We pulled away only to find the reflection within the shiny chrome table. Ingredients were scattered across. “Today, you’ll be making sourdough bread,” boomed the instructor. “Hopefully you already knew what was being made as you signed up for this class.” The chef holds up a light coffee color jar. “This is your leaven. I made this up for you in preparation for today or this class would take days to complete.”

I chuckled at the chef’s joke. My eye’s scoured Sugawara's to see his reaction. I caught him looking my way. He picked up the same glass that the instructor had. I picked up some of the salt water that had been dissolved. “Would you like to pour it into the bowl or should I?”

“How about at the same time?” he suggests. I tip that glass into a larger bowl. Suga does the same with his mixture. I grab the spatula and stir the mixture until it starts to bubble. 

“I really hope we’re doing this alright,” I say. “I stopped paying attention after he started pulling out random ingredients.”

He chuckled while reaching across the table for the instructions. “Baking is just chemistry. I’m sure we’ll do alright.” The plastic sheet was already dripping with some splashed water. “The next step is getting flour.”

I take the bag and the measuring cups and put them in front of us. We work in sync for the next few steps of the recipe. Suga would read out what was needed while I poured or got the ingredients. We fell into a calm peace as we found our own stride. It felt like we’d made thousands loafs of bread together. Soon, we came to a resting break for 30 minutes. 

“Koshi?” I ask. He turns from the little stool provided. “Why’d you not make a move sooner?”

A grin danced across his lips as he leaned back. There wasn’t anything to catch him so he had to stop for himself. “I think it was the kids. They noticed something that I should have a long time ago.”

“The teenagers could be good for something,” I say. 

“It didn’t help that Eichi would tease me during volleyball practice. Soon I found myself coming to see you at the shop. It wasn’t about the coffee or getting my work done. I came to see you talk to the kids or customers. You always had the most beautiful smile.”

“I see,” I said before biting my lip. It was a simple reaction in hopes of keeping the color from forming on my face. “I noticed you from the first time you walked into the café. Who knew a teacher would actually want to date his barista.”

“I did. You were too beautiful to ignore.” He reached out his hand to grab mine. They were covered in a thin coating of flour. Koshi moved his thumbs over the top of my wrists. I opened my mouth to respond in the same way but our timer went off. 

The teacher let go of my hands to find the instructions. “I guess we have to knead the bread now.” 

“Do you want to do it together?” I ask. 

“You stole my line,” Suga smiled while pouring out the batter. He led me to the bread and guided my hands to how to knead. His chin rested on my shoulder as a way to see along with being as close to me as he possibly could be. My back began to heat as I could feel his chest pressed securely to mine. 

His hands felt coarse against my skin. Years of volleyball weren’t kind to his hands. Calluses built up from extended use; however, the tops of his hands were soft. Kneading the dough wasn’t hard at the beginning. After awhile, the dough started to look like a normal loaf. If it wasn’t for Suga’s constant push and pull of the dough, it wouldn’t be remotely done. I was too busy all consumed in his floral scent and strong embrace to think about making the perfect bread. 

“This looks like a good time to let the dough rest,” said the instructor. I was too busy enthralled with the idea of love to realize he approached our table. “All you have to do is let it rest for a little while. You may want to take a break before coming back.” 

“Thank you,” said Koshi as he moved away from my back. A whine escaped my lips which was noticed by the only person I didn’t want to notice. I scoop up the bread and put it into the proofing basket. “How about we take a walk outside. I think we’ll have enough time to get a Boba from the place down the street.”

“Sounds delicious,” I comment. My hand entangles in his as if it belonged there all along. We escaped down the steps and out of the building. “Koshi.” My voice stops us in our tracks. 

“What is it?” he questions while turning to look at me. Our faces were within that small gap. Close enough that all it took was a few inches before our lips met in a tender touch. Suga reciprocated the form of affection by pressing a little tighter onto my own lips. 

“That was a surprise,” he mumbles against my lips. 

“It felt right.”

“Yes it did.” Our moment was broken by the faint bustle of people trying to get past the couple kissing in mid-afternoon. None of them knew the magic that had happened in our lives. All the build up and excitement to this point. “Let’s go get the drink. I don’t really like people staring.”

“Let them stare,” he comments while wrapping his arms around my waist. “Let them be jealous of us. They know nothing.” He left a final kiss on my lips before dragging me down to the shop. We had so much time to kill before our bread would be ready and we were going to take full advantage of that fact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This series is a choose your own adventure. Pick your favorite man or all of them. I will try to make as many of them as possible with continuations. So far, there is Oikawa, Sugawara, Tuskishima, Kageyama, Hinata, and Akaashi. If you have a suggestion or comment, please message me!!


	9. Hems and Sarcasm are Good Coping Mechanisms (Tsukishima/Reader pt.2)

A dull pale purple hung around the buildings as the sun was starting to set. It became a hazy mess of deep wine, navy blue, and charcoal black to paint the ground as I walked up to the small building. Tsukishima asked that I meet him at his place of work before we actually start the date. Even though he promised to take me to dinner the night of, I had to stay late to finish up extra paperwork for the quarter meeting. I wasn’t going to allow him to stay until after closing for me. 

We set the date for the next day as I was off and he only had to work until early evening. I arrived at a glass building that had small lights dimmed inside. Tskuishima leaned against one of the marble pillars. He seemed to be enthralled in the newest song blasting through his headphones. I walked up to the tall blonde and said “What are you listening to?”

Even though my presence didn't catch him off guard, I could see the question did. He stood up which only minutes my frame and took off his headphones. “How about you see for yourself?” Before I could question the gesture, he placed them on my head. The sweet sound of a song I didn’t quite recognize filled my eardrums. Soft ukulele music combined with light singing. He pats my head before starting to walk down the street. The headphones were still attached to his phone which pulled me along with him. “Wait, Tsukishima,” I call while pulling off the headset. “What song is this?”

“Forever and Always by Zeph,” he says while taking them back. He moved to place them snuggly back around his neck. My eyebrows knit together at the thought of him listening to such a subdued song. I raced to meet his long steps. “It’s a part of one of my playlists. I found it a few months ago and I’m trying to get it out of my system.”

“Out of your system?” I knew repeating made me feel like a broken record. A chuckle escaped from the volleyball player. 

“Do you normally ask a lot of questions?” he asked while turning around to face me. His eyes locked onto my own as we stood in the middle of a no-so-busy walkway. I’d finally caught up to him.

“We are getting to know each other,” I responded. “Isn’t that what a date is?” I held tightly onto the hem of my shirt. A nervous habit I picked up at the cafe: fiddling with clothing to help with anxiety. Sadly, I didn't have my apron to soothe any fear 

A smirk flashed across his face as he looked me up and down. “There’s no need to be nervous. I was only teasing you.” Confusion fell over my own face as I let go of my shirt. Tskuishima pushed up his glasses before motioning for me to walk ahead. 

My body moves instinctively at his command. Instead of either of us talking, an awkward silence filled the space. I walked only slightly ahead of Tsuki. Words jumbled in my mind. I wanted, no, pleaded for anything to come to the forefront of my brain so that I could ask or say something else. 

“How long have you worked at that cafe?” he asked, finally keeping in pace with my own steps. I turn to my left to look at his profile. 

“I’ve worked there for a few years now,” I comment. My hand found the piece of fabric once again. I didn’t know why I was so nervous. “I started when I was in high school as a way to pay for some college expenses. Now, I work there full time. I’m not sure when it changed from a side job to full time work.” 

Tskui nods his head before motioning to a glass door that appeared beside him. “Here’s where I wanted to take you.” He pulled open the door into a small cafe. He picked up a card and pencil and handed it to me. “You write your order and they bring it to our table.”

I take the paper from his hands and look at the printed letters. Each line said a delicious dish that made my mouth water. Hunger had yet to consume my thoughts until this moment. I pursued the paper until I settled on what sounded the best. 

I was led to the table by the player. He wrote our table number down in small, messy handwriting before sliding them into a slot in the kitchen door. “This place is normally pretty fast about bringing your food.” I nod my head while seated on the opposite side of him. 

“So, Tsukishima,” I start.

“-Kei,” he says. “You can call me Kei.” The interruption didn’t seem forced in any way. It was as if he wanted me to say his name through the full time but didn’t have a way to add it to the conversation until this moment. 

“Okay, Kei,” I said. His name fell from my lips as a smile appeared on his. He leaned back into the booth. “You asked me about my job. It seems fair that I do the same.”

“I work for the museum we were at,” he said. “I study paleontology at a college down the road.” There was a change in his demeanor. The tough guy act was replaced with a glimmer of dulled excitement. “I take care of some of the old bones before they’re put on display.”

I humed an agreement as my hands tapped a random rhythm on the table. “You must like dinosaurs then? Dinosaurs, volleyball, and music. I wouldn’t have pegged you as someone who’d be into all of those.”

Tsuki leaned in; closing the gap between us. “What type of guy did you peg me for then?” he asks. Sarcasm and cockiness dripped with every word he spoke. 

I met his gaze with the same energy. “Not sure. I was hoping that you’d surprise me,” I comment. A waitress brought out both of our foods at that time. She placed them down without a word before leaving back the way she came. 

Tsuki leans over to grab my food and places it in front of me before taking his own. My eyes follow his movements inquizzically. “You don’t have to do that. I can get my own fo-.”

“- I know.” he says. It was my turn to smile at his kind gesture. He must’ve noticed the twinge of my lips as he said “don’t get too used to it. I’m only taking care of you because you seem so nervous. Plus I don’t want you to spill anything on you again.”

My smile stopped as my brows furrowed. “And I thought you were doing it to be nice.”

“I am.” Kei replied while taking a bite of the sushi on his plate. “You didn’t get to tell me your initial thoughts of myself. I do want to know.”

I roll my eyes before taking a bite of my own food. “Well, now think you're an asshole,” I comment; however, I knew that was false. My initial thoughts were ones of wonder and awe.

“I thought you looked nice. Guess I was wrong.”

“You weren’t wrong,” I comment. “You met me while I was working. I’m guessing you’re nicer to those who enter the museum than you are to your friends.”

“I’m on pretty good terms with Tadashi,” he says while sticking another sushi roll into his mouth. “I only pick on those who I think need it.”

I chuckle at his joke before taking another bite myself. “Why do you tease me then?”

“I like it when you blush,” he says with the same arrogant look on his face. 

My cheeks burned the same red he’d mentioned. I tried with all my might to muster the feeling down; however, his words sent butterflies erupting from inside. “That’s the only reason?”

Kei nodded his head. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to tease someone and they take it in stride. You fascinate me.”

“Am I supposed to be one of your fossils you are studying?” I ask. 

Tsuki didn’t respond to the question at first. It was as if he had to have a moment to think about his response. I realized something that I had yet to understand. He must be as nervous as I am about this date. I wasn’t sure what gave it away in this moment but his tone felt different. Sarcasm was his de facto nature. A defense mechanism so that people wouldn’t get too close.   
Once he got his stride, he said “I guess you could say that. I do want to know more about you. Let’s start with your favorite dinosaur and we’ll go from there.” 

“Okay,” I said. “Let’s start from there. Then you can tell me why you listen to such soft music.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This series is a choose your own adventure. Pick your favorite man or all of them. I will try to make as many of them as possible with continuations. So far, there is Oikawa, Sugawara, Tuskishima, Kageyama, Hinata, and Akaashi. If you have a suggestion or comment, please message me!! Thank you so much for every like a comment. I now have a schedule set on how I write the guys. You'll be getting a few more characters in the future: Kita, Bokuto, Miya Twins (Separately), and Tendo.


	10. The Void in Between Us (Kageyama Pt 2 First Date)

Going over to a guy’s house on the first date was not the smartest decision that I’ve ever made. The choice was astronomically more dumb with the fact I rarely knew the guy beyond the small encounter we had while I was making his drink. However, all it did was make my heart pound even more with the excitement about to take part in my life. It was a dangerous choice that spurred on all the adrenaline racing through my body. Which is how I ended up staring at the forest green door in front of me. 

I found myself hitting the door buzzer before I actually knew what I’d done. A voice came over the speakers “I’ll be there in a second,” garbled the static voice of the volleyball player. A small buzz happened before the click of the door. The door opened to see the tall raven-haired man in some light gray sweatpants and an oversized volleyball sweatshirt. 

“I’m surprised you actually came,” he said before moving a bit more into the entrance to the apartment complex. I could physically see him flinch at his own comment. “No. I’m glad you are here. Come inside. I’ll lead you to my apartment.”

I walked into the brightly lit entranceway. A small chandelier hung at the top of the ceiling. It was a cheaply made one but it produced a lot of light. “So this is where a celebrity lives?” I tease. Kageyama scoffs and responds “I wouldn’t call myself that” before walking me up to his apartment. We walked up three flights of stairs before starting down another hallway. We stop in front of a door with the room number 309 on it. 

He pulls some keys from his pockets and fiddles with the lock. His hands were shaking while opening the door. The volleyball player holds open the door while motioning inside. “Here we are. Make yourself comfortable.” I follow his hand motion and walk into a compact space. There wasn’t much furniture beyond a dark black couch, a large tv mounted to the wall, some workout equipment in the corner, and a side table next to the couch. Even the Dvd player was placed on the carpeted floor instead of a stand. 

Kageyama followed me inside. He coughed as if to clear his nerves before stating “I made some popcorn for you. And I made some hot chocolate. I didn’t know if you’d like either but I think popcorn is a universal food and I like hot chocolate. And you’re a barista so I doubt it will be ass good as yours.” Every word he spoke got a little faster. It was as if he had to word vomit or he would actually vomit. 

“I love popcorn,” I said while walking over to the couch and taking a seat. “And I bet you made it alright.” He went to another room which I assumed was the kitchen before coming out with two cups in one hand and a kettle in the other. He makes a show of pouring my drink then his own. A kind gesture for what could be considered a creepy situation. 

“Thank you,” I say. I take my cup from his hands. The warmth of the liquid heats the outside of the cup and transfers to my hand. I stare down at the brown liquid in hopes that it would keep my own nerves at bay. I felt the couch take a dip and heard the click of the tv. “Are you pulling up your volleyball game?”

“Yeah,” Kageyama says while scrolling through his phone. He connected the tv to his phone and a volleyball court lights up the screen. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” I say. “I do have to warn you that you’ll have to explain everything about this sport to me.” A chuckle passed my lips. I noticed that I sat on one end of the couch and he on the other. It was as if there was a vast ocean between us and neither of us had a paddle. We’re searching the endless void yet we’re too out of reach. Our eyes making quick glances at each other before turning back to the game. 

I watched the ball move back and forth high above the net. Every few minutes, there would be a sound of the ball hitting the floor and screams of praise. The white lines that signify the pause button appear. 

“I guess I should explain what’s happening.” My face must’ve held a confused look. Kageyama leaned into the tv so that his hand was pointing to a person on the screen. “That is me. I am the setter. That means I set the ball up for a spiker-” he moves his hand to point to two other guys “-to hit the ball on the other team’s court. We have 3 touches on each side before the ball has to go over.”

I nod my head before taking a sip of the warm liquid in my cup. The strong taste of milk held on my tongue. There was more milk than there was chocolate. “Seems to make sense,” I said. 

He presses play once again and the team springs to life. Back and forth the ball goes from one player to another. I point to the screen. “Why are all the players moving at once?”

“That’s called a synchronized attack,” says the player. “I set the ball and all the players move as if they will attack. We have our libero staying back in case the other team is able to tell where the ball will go. I passed to Ushijima because he’s our strongest hitter.” 

I found myself watching Kageyama’s side profile talk more than I did what he was showing me on the screen. The way his eyes showed a bluer tint every time he mentioned a new move made my heart skip a few beats. The more passionate he got, the more he moved closer to the middle of the couch. He would point at other players of the team and explain their position, who they were, and how long they’ve been on the team. 

A few times we’d lock eyes only for him to turn away with a hint of red gracing his cheeks. “At least that’s the gist of my team.” He buries his face within the confines of his hot chocolate. 

I giggled at his gesture. “You’re very passionate about this sport. It’s nice to see something you actually love.” My body naturally moved closer to his to see where he was pointing. The vastness seemed to grow a bridge without either of us knowing.

“I’ve been playing since I was little,” he says. “My grandpa taught me to play and I was good at it.” There was a lull in the conversation. We watched a few more minutes of volleyball before either of us spoke. “We face an old high school rival of mine tomorrow. I’m excited to see him.”

“What’s his name?”

“Hinata.”

“Oh the short orange-haired player? He always comes into the coffee shop. Says it's a ritual or something.”

The player turns to look at me. “You haven’t given him your number. Right?” His face was scrunched up as if he was thinking of the next play he might make on the court. 

A grin mirrors on my lips before I take another sip. “No. I haven’t given him my number.”

He relaxed the tense muscles in his body before leaning back against the couch. A few more minutes play of the sport. Wordless conversations filled our brains as we searched for something to talk about. I find my solace within my drink and the tv. 

The score flashes on the tv before both teams break formation. I look confused at the screen while saying “what just happened?” I turned to see that Kageyama wasn’t facing the TV anymore. He was lookin at me. 

He stuttered a bit before turning his gaze to the tv. The setter reversed the tape back a bit. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” 

“It’s alright Kageyama.”

“You can call me Tobio. I should have told you that much sooner into the night.” The blush form before still had yet to leave his cheeks. It was as if he was caught stealing. I take this chance to move a little closer until our legs would brush each other if we moved. 

“Tobio,” I say. “Such a nice name.”

The silence was brought on once again. However, Kageyama took this opportunity to move his arms to the backrest of the couch. The gesture came with no look towards me; however, I could feel the questions buzzing in his head. 

“You can look at me. It’s alright.”

I must’ve caught him off guard because his body tensed up at the statement. It took a few moments before he actually turned to face me. Our noses close enough to almost touch. The space between us felt as if the void had vanished all together. We were racehorses chasing something that neither of us knew. 

My body reacted by laying a kiss onto his open lips. An instant of stillness was washed away as his lips connected back to mine. It was a soft kiss that left more questions than before. I pulled away as the sounds of the tv seemed to become dimmed by my own heartbeat. “Are you okay, Tobio?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like to do it again?” I move to place the cup on the side table next to him. Kageyama pressed his lips to mine in the process and muttered a resounding “yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This series is a choose your own adventure. Pick your favorite man or all of them. I will try to make as many of them as possible with continuations. So far, there is Oikawa, Sugawara, Tuskishima, Kageyama, Hinata, and Akaashi. If you have a suggestion or comment, please message me!!


	11. You're My Sunshine (Hinata Pt 2 First Date)

When I’d agreed to a lovely date with the tiny, orange-haired player, I didn’t imagine that he would text me so quickly after our first encounter. Within the bus ride, we spent the majority of the time texting back and forth with basic questions. Soon, we added each other on snapchat because Hinata wanted to show me a picture of Atsumu. That was quickly followed by a video of him practicing with the same guy. After he hit the ball to the floor, Hinata turned to look at the camera and shouted “Bokuto, did you see that?” There was a scream of “good job Shoyuo” from behind the phone which resounded in the quiet bus.

That snapchat was followed by a few more with Hinata introducing each member of the team. First was a tall black and white spiked hair player who posed as if it was a photo except it was a video. It was followed by a guy whose face was half covered with a mask. He didn’t introduce himself but said “Shoyuo, do you know how many germs phones carry?”

Hinata seemed to get more excited with each video he sent showing off his team and himself. After he introduced every single person he could including managers, his best friends, and a few cats on his walk home, Hinata asked if you could show him your friends. 

At this point, it was closer to one am than it was to when you last saw each other. Most of my friends have jobs that require an early rise in the morning. I snapchatted back “I will but it is a little late. I’m going to go to sleep. Good night, Hinata.”

I received a text almost instantly with the same sentiment. The chaotic pure energy left a smile on my face and a racing in my heart that didn’t cease until I finally fell asleep an hour later. When I awoke, there was a new message wishing me a good morning and another one asking “when I might be off today?”

My text was simple. I said “I’ll be off at 3:00. Will I see you then?” followed by a few choice emojis. I must’ve been caught up in his excitement of both the impending date and countless messages from the short player. 

“I’ll pick you up at 3!” was the final message he sent. Throughout the rest of the work day, Hinata must’ve been busy. There was not a single text sent by either of us back and forth. Not a snapchat in sight. His lack of texting left me with a constant buzz in the back of my mind of what he could be planning for the latter half of the day. 

Once three pm hit the clock, my nerves started back up again. I found myself watching the door in anticipation of Hinata's arrival. While taking an order for a customer, Carrie placed her hand on my back and whispered in my ear “you’ll stare a hole in my door if you’re not careful. WHo are you watching for?”

I wanted to respond with ‘no one’ except karmic justice isn’t pretty, and Hinata walks through the door. “I see,” she responded to her own question. Hinata took this opportunity to wave in my direction. “I’ll pick up from here. Your shift has been done for ten minutes now. You won’t want to keep your date waiting.”

My response was to roll my eyes as I finished with the customer in front of me. “Thank you for coming in today. Your drink will be at the end counter.” The moment he stepped away from the register, my apron was off my head and hung haphazardly on the hook. 

“You don’t have to leave for me,” said the player as I walked up to him. “If you still have to work, I can wait until you’re done. “

“No, no,” I said. “My boss said I was working too many hours and to enjoy my time off.” Hinata grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the cafe. His sudden movements caught me off balance as I stumbled into his smaller frame. “That’s good. Then we have to get going.” He didn't react to my apparent inability to stay on my feet. 

Hinata walked, no, dragged me to a shop near my own workplace. It was a newly opened ice cream shop. “We’re here,” he says. His own hand has yet to let go of mine. 

“Ice cream?” I ask confused before the tug on my arm gets stronger as we walk into the brisk shop. “Why ice cream?”

“Atsumu, Bokuto, and I go here after we win a game in this tournament,” said Hinata. “It has my favorite flavor of matcha ice cream.” 

We both get in the line to look at the multitude of ice cream flavors displayed behind plexiglass. “I can’t believe that you’re taking me to such a special place for you,” I joke. The player turns to look at me. “Of course I’d take you here. You’re my good luck charm.” 

In that moment, you could feel the sunshine off his smile. He became the beam that could cast away any shadow. My heart beat raced in my ears as it drowned out any other thoughts in my mind. His hand squeezed my palm and let go. The pressure brought me back down from orbit. 

“Hinata-,” my lips whispered. 

“Oh, you can call me Shoyuo. It’s what my team calls me.”

“Okay, Shoyuo, what makes you so cheerful?” Again, the words roll off my tongue as if they were a foreign language. His spirit was rarely found within anyone I had met. It was an intoxicating trait that magnetized anyone in his life. 

Hinata was about to answer but the clerk called for the next person. His interruption was a needed break. The wing spiker found himself busy in choosing multiple ice cream flavors and the size that would suit his needs. I found myself ordering my regular choice even though it was a basic flavor. He paid for both our cups and we found a booth near the entrance to the shop. 

The player sat next to me and left an empty booth seat. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said. 

“Of course not,” I replied, trying not to think about how I could feel heat radiating off his body. “I have enough space if you do.”

Hinata takes a bite of ice cream from his spoon and nods. “It’s fine by me,” he mumbles with the plastic still trapping his words. “Have you always worked in the coffee shop?”

“Ever since high school,” I say while taking a bite of my own. The cool taste made my tongue tense up with each bite. “I started out as an intern to get extra points on college scholarships. I ended up staying here because I loved the people and I enjoyed the free drinks.” 

Shoyuo seemed to eat up every word. His eyes would be locked on my own or onto his ice cream. “And you didn’t go to college?”

“No,” I sighed. “It was a far off dream. I didn’t have enough money and spent too much time working. I make a decent living now but I had no way to pay for school when I should have applied.” We both took bites of our sugary dessert in silence. It was as if we were stalling for words that refused to come. “What made you choose volleyball?”

His eyes lit up with the same excitement I saw before. “I saw the tiny giant play on T.V. He looked so cool and was as short as I was. I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I played through high school and even went to Brazil for a while. I wanted to become better than anyone else.”

“Have you done that?”

“I’m not better than Kageyama. He’s still winning the last time we counted.”

“Whose Kageyama?” I ask while scraping the last bit of ice cream out of the bottom of the container. 

“It’s a long story,” said the volleyball player before putting another large glob of ice cream in his mouth. “He was a rival in middle school. The only team I faced then. We found ourselves at the same high school only a year later. We became friends throughout our time. He went on to play right out of high school; I had to still train. He’s the only setter that has caught up to me.”

“He must be pretty special in your life.”

“He is,” Hinata says while finishing his own ice cream. He looks at both our empty cardboard and turns to face me. “Maybe this wasn’t the best place because we both are done. I don’t want this date to be over yet.”

The orange haired player’s smile fades at the thought of ending our time early. It was my turn to squeeze his hand in mine and beam his own smile. “We don’t have to be done. Come on. I know a great stop for part two of this date.”

“Part two?” Shoyuo asks. “How many parts will there be?” 

“As many as we can take,” I reply back while lightly pushing him out of the seat. He refuses to move; however, he scraps some of his extra ice cream in his bowl. I looked at him confused before he placed the dripping liquid in front of my mouth. 

“I forgot to have you taste the matcha. Sorry this is all I have left. It’s a little liquid-y.” I chuckle at his words before taking the spoon into my mouth. As he pulls away, I notice some slipping from my lips. I go to lick it away but Hinata leans in and kisses away the extra. 

My face burned as I was caught off guard from his actions. He was the first to pull away while whispering “you taste sweet” which only caused my face to burn brighter. 

“Shoyuo,” I mutter.

“Was I not supposed to do that?” he asks. 

“It’s alright,” I said before leaning in for my own quick kiss. “Now come on. We have places to be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This series is a choose your own adventure. Pick your favorite man or all of them. I will try to make as many of them as possible with continuations. So far, there is Oikawa, Sugawara, Tuskishima, Kageyama, Hinata, and Akaashi. If you have a suggestion or comment, please message me!!


	12. Running Late Means Arriving Early (Akaashi Date pt 2)

Nothing smells as perfect as freshly brewed coffee and leather bound books. It was a combination that revelled in the delight of a book lover and coffee drinker’s delight. Any scholar could spend hours pursuing the parchment with a caffeine boost in hand. I, while not being a scholar could agree. 

Akaashi had picked none other than the local bookstore for your first adventure. He had made it very clear that there would be no surprise visitors because his best friend doesn’t really visit bookstores that often. 

I found myself arriving early in anticipation for long lines and the impending rainstorm that was supposed to sweep the city any time soon; though, some might say it was anxiety that led me to this point. In a quick decision, I went to get in line at the store provided coffee shop. 

The warm liquid found a way to calm my nerves even if it tasted bitter and old. The line to get the drink was short compared to the ones at my own shop. The clinking of glass against the countertop settled my queasy stomach. 

A simple jazz tune hummed around the patrons shopping for multitude of novels, poems, and short stories. A few pursued the music selection even though it had grown significantly smaller in recent years. 

“Hey,” called the black haired man as he sat down next to me at the bar. “Sorry I’m a little late. The rain picked up outside.” His words rang true as the sound of thunder boomed outside the shop. I looked up from my cup to see that his hair was rain-soaked. 

“It’s alright,” I comment. “I got here a little early.” I looked down at my phone to see that his late was actually three minutes early. “Late huh?” I turn the plastic to show the time. “You must have a different view of time.”

My comment produced a chuckle from Akaashi. His smile was a beautiful sight to behold. It counteracted the typical scowl and blank look. “When you’re in publishing, being late means a costly mistake. Plus I didn’t want you to wait too long.”

I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip of the coffee inside. Drowning down the already blush filled grin that I could feel warming my cheeks. “Sorry I didn’t know you’d be here that quickly or I would have waited to get coffee with you.”

“It’s alright,” he comments. “I didn’t want to meet you here for coffee anyways.” He pushed the drenched hair away from his face. 

“Why’d you bring me here then?” I ask. My words were emphasized by the motion of my hand towards the store.   
“I wanted to try something,” Akaashi says. “I saw it in some shojo manga a co-worker was writing and wanted to see if it's actually romantic or not.”

I scoff while finishing my drink. “Don’t you know those never seem to work.” I place the cup in the bin next to me. Once I turn back around, I can see a twinkling of excitement in his eyes as if the very idea of trying to relive a romantic manga was exciting to him. “What are you planning, Akaashi?”

“Find a book for me to read,” he casually says. “I’ll find a book for you. We swap the books and spend time reading them. Then we have something to talk about.”

His idea of a first date did seem to peak my own interest. Swapping stories seems like an intimate version of getting to know each other. You can judge a lot by what a person chooses to read. “What if my book is much longer than yours?” My comment was a jest to test his reaction. 

“Then we’ll have to stay longer or have a second date to discuss what I read with you.” A smirk toyed at the end of his lips as if to beg to find such a book. His comment left me a little flustered and wishing I had my cup to ground myself once again. 

“Okay. I’ll meet you back here in ten minutes,” I say. The excitement of a surprise made my heart skip a few beats. What would he pick out for me? What should I pick out for him? Akaashi was the first to stand. 

“Ten minutes it is. I’ll try not to be late.” His comment left me breathless and grinning from ear to ear at the call back. He was the first to leave from the position. I didn’t dare follow him because I didn’t want to ruin the surprise. I, instead, decided to follow the fiction section. 

As I look down the many ailes of different types of books, very few caught my eye. Judging books based off of their cover seemed like an endless task. It would be better to find a book that I had read than to find a new one. But, what could fit this mysterious man?

My finger traipsed along the hardcover spines, in hopes that one would fall into my lap. Each book seemed so blasé compared to him. Standing in between the shelves, I remembered how little I knew about Akaashi. I don’t even think I caught his first name. 

I sighed before picking out a book at random. My fingers were drawn to the texture of the spine. It was a small novel called "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. A story I read many, many years before. I picked up the book to try and remember details from the story. I flip through the flimsy pages. It was hefty but not too long; complex but not too much. A perfect example of a text that seemed to fit such a dedicated and well-read soul. 

Walking back to the cafe, I started to regret my choice. Maybe it would be too complex? Maye he would hate it? It was too late to change my mind when I saw Akaashi leaning against the wall while looking at his own pick.

I hadn’t had time to admire my date. He looked beautiful. The rain made his vaguely dried hair curl in the perfect places. He dressed in academic blazer, round-rimmed glasses, tan slacks, and a button up shirt. A look that feels all put together. 

My eyes caught his and we matched the same smile. I quickly hid my book to my back. “Hope I didn’t keep you long. I wasn’t sure what to pick.”

The publisher nodded before looking down at the cover of his book. “I did have a little more time to think than you.” He paused for a moment before quickly replaying “Actually a lot more time than you. I thought of this idea ever since I saw you in the shop. You’re the first person I wanted to try this with.”

I hummed in agreement. “So, your friend was right that you wanted to get my number.”

“Bokuto is normally right about emotions. He’s more vocal about expressing them than I am,” Akaashi said. The corner of his lip upturned into a smile. “Now, I’ll give you my book first.” He handed me his book. It was a manga of a recently adapted anime. One that focused on the love story between two protagonists. From what I could recall, it was a soulmate story. “I picked this one because I worked in the publishing department for its release. I personally know the author.”

I looked down at the cover and back at him. “Really? Any other reason you like this story more than any other?”

Akaashi shrugged his shoulders. “You’ll see when you get to the part.”

“Sounds foreboding.”

He holds out his hand expectantly. “And mine?” he questioned. I placed my book as our hands met. The touch sparked enough nervous energy that I decided to pull away. “The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner. How did you know I was a fan of his works?”

“You seemed like a man that would appreciate a stream of conscious writing style.” Akaashi nodded in agreement. “You haven’t read this one before, right?”

“No. I read “As I Lay Dying” and “Absalom, Absalom” before. Both well written, complex stories. You may have to explain some plot details to me.”

“I will,” I said. Akaashi stood from his leaning place, took my hand, and walked me to a quiet reading nook. 

“We have until they kick us out.” I nod my head while taking a seat across from him. “We’ll see who finishes first.”

“Is this a race? Because I think I will win.”

“As long as I get to spend more time with you, I will gladly lose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading. From here on out, each character will have some of the following scenarios: First Fight, First time they say they love you, and first time. They may not be in that order but they will happen at some point. Let me give an example. The next one for Oikawa is going to be the fight but Kageyama's is the first time. It will be how the story flows naturally. If you have any suggestions for characters or scenarios, please leave a comment! I appreciate all of you for staying around. You mean so much to me! You keep me going every day!


	13. Don’t Bet what You’re not willing to Lose (Atsumu/Reader and Osamu/Reader pt 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally I don’t write an intro for their first meeting but I think it may be warranted in this case. Atsumu and Osamu’s First Meeting will be the same; however, their stories will change based on who you choose. Hope you enjoy this!

There was always a quiet lull in between big games; however, today was different. It was a quiet mid-afternoon. Only a few regulars hung around the bar or in the booths near the entrance. None of them came to get a cup of coffee or any of the pastries. Carrie was also out so this left the staff quiet and bored. 

“Have you decided if you’re going to the game tonight?” asked one of the part time hires. He normally worked on days that I had off so I hadn’t had a chance to learn his name. Everything I’ve heard about him was from Carrie herself. She said he’s a dedicated worker who needed to make some part time money. “A few of my friends were going to go but one dropped out earlier.”

“I’ll decide closer to the game,” I chuckle while picking up the nearest broom. “I may need to close tonight if most of the staff decides to take you up on your ticket.”

The man chuckled where his eyes sparkled when he talked. “I’ll go check to see if anyone else wants to take it.” With those words, he left to the back to check with the other new hire who was still watching the training videos in the back. 

I shook my head and went to go sweep the already clean floor. Slow days made working in customer service less enjoyable than it already was. As I was sweeping the backcorner, the bell for the door rang. I turned my head to see two people who looked the same in appearance and stature. The only difference was the color of both of their hair. 

“Welcome to the No Doze Cafe,” I called them. “I’ll be with you in one moment.” I sweep the remaining fluff into the dust pan. Tossing the remaining dust into the trash can, I set the broom down long enough to go and meet the two guys who were standing at the register.

They were both heated in a conversion. The blonde seemed to be the louder of the two as his voice boomed across the small cafe. The other twin only seemed to engage in the constant discussion whenever it would get under the skin of his brother. “Hello,” I say after reaching the register. “How may I help you?”

“You need to settle a bet between us,” said the blonde. “Osamu overheard that our friend Kita started working here. I bet him that I’d buy his coffee if he was here.”

“Kita,” I mumble trying to remember the names of the three new hires. I tap the outside of the old register to think. It didn’t help that I kept getting lost in the blonde’s affectionate smile or scouring the broad shoulders of the grey one. “Let me go into the back and check the schedule. I’ll be right back.”

My escape was needed otherwise the burning sensation of my cheeks was going to give away my extended excitement for the twins being here. Walking into the back, I noticed that the one ticket was gone along with the two employees. I checked the clock only to see that their shift had ended ten minutes ago. 

A quickly written note was left apologizing for leaving so soon after shift. The author of the note explained that the game would be starting soon and he has to watch his friend play. I peeled the note from the corkboard and read the name: Kita Shinsuke.

A smile crossed my face as I’d get to give them the news that their friend does work here. I take the note as confirmation. 

I could hear the blonde’s voice even before I exited the backroom. They were still locked in debate but this conversation seemed different than before. Once we made eye contact, the two became eerily silent. However, the intense side eyes exchange by each twin could be felt across the whole cafe. 

“I was able to get your answer,” I say while holding up the note as if it was proof. “You’re looking for Kita Shinsuke, right?”

“Yes,” said the grey haired twin. His counterpart nodded in agreement. 

I hand over the piece of paper. “He’s a new hire. You just missed him. He kept trying to get some of the staff to go to the volleyball game down the road. You’ll have to meet him there.”

The grey twin grabbed the note and scoured it for the name. “I told you he worked here.”

“Shinsuke is going to my game?” questioned the blonde. 

“He may have wanted to surprise you.”

“Then your dumbass decided to make this bet ruined the surprise. “

“My dumbass? If you would have believed me then it wouldn’t have been ruined. You owe me coffee too. So pay up.”

Their bickering feud left me with a breathless laugh. “So what will it be fellas?” I interrupt. 

“Your number?” said the blonde while leaning onto the bar. “Or is that too forward.” His twin massaged his temple as if this wasn’t the first time his brother has done something like this.

“Don’t listen to him. I’ll take a regular coffee. ‘Sumu’s lucky that I don’t like sugary drinks. I should have bet that’d he pay for a week’s worth of rice at the shop.” I started to pick up one of our regular type cups and lid. 

The blonde’s face scrunched before turning back to mine. “I’m being serious though. I’d gladly take your number any day. A few of my team members have talked about you yet I didn’t know how beautiful you actually were.” His voice dropped with every word he spoke. A slow sultry one that tested out the water. “Name’s Atsumu.”

“Osamu,” said the other twin. As he pointed to the cup. “That’s what you should put there.” He actively ignored Atsumu in favor of the cup in front of him. “If you need to spell it, its 307-”

“-Don’t give her your number. That’s not part of the deal,” said Atsumu. 

“The deal was the first person she texted,” replied Osamu. “Not getting her number. Learn your own rules of the game.”

I allowed the bickering to continue as I went to fill up the cup with house-made coffee. Their yelling was getting louder by the second; however, I would say that it is a nice change. Burning liquid about spilled over the side as I was lost in thought of which twin I’d actually want to give their number. 

As I turned to face them one more time, they were too busy to notice my returned presence. “Take it. It’s on the house,” I say holding out the cup. The twins finally notice me. The coffee was held directly in the middle of them. Osamu takes the cup with a polite nod. “Now, get out your phones because I’ll only say it once.”

Both men were shocked before they reached into their pockets to find the device. The momentary pause made my heart swell in mild excitement. I recited my number. Atsumu looked at his brother’s phone to make sure he had it down correctly. Osumu tried to hide his phone while sending a text and not spilling the hot coffee. It was like a madhouse show. 

I shook my head before going back to grab the broom. “You can text me later. Plus I don’t use my phone until after my shift.” I did one more up and down of them before going back to my chores from before. Beyond my warning, I still felt two faint buzzes before the twins left the cafe. The only question left was which one I would respond to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for continuing to read. I love the twins. I'm glad they're added to the list. Up next will be angst with Oikawa!


End file.
